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Josiah Bartlet
Josiah Edward Bartlet, Ph.D., D.Hum.Litt., was President of the United States from 1999 to 2007. He was a popular politician, having never lost an election, and winning a second term as President in a landslide, despite being censured in the MS scandal. Biographical Information Early Life Josiah Edward Bartlet, known as "Jed," was born in the early 1940s in New Hampshire. His great-great-great-great grandfather was Dr. Josiah Bartlett, who signed the Declaration of Independence. "My great grandfather's great-grandfather was Dr. Josiah Bartlett, who was the New Hampshire delegate to the second Continental Congress" from What Kind of Day Has It Been? As a child, his brother Jon locked him in a steamer trunk. The steamers in the trunk were working and young Jed remembered being surrounded by seafood."Yes. I remember being locked in a steamer trunk." "There were actual steamers in there with me, Charlie. I was in there with seafood." from Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail Education Every morning Jed would walk to his school from his house a short distance away."I walked to school every morning in weather colder than this." from Inauguration: Over There (Part II) His father was the headmaster of his high school. Dr. Bartlet used his position as headmaster to allow his son to enter the lucrative school."You're at the school because I'm the headmaster." from Two Cathedrals While attending school in 1960, Bartlet got in trouble with his father for a stunt he pulled on Professor Loomis, the professor of literature at the school. Bartlet and a group of friends wrote an article condemning Loomis for banning books such as "Farenheit 451," and works by D.H. Lawrence and Henry Miller. This was one of the many times Bartlet received a slap from his father.From a scene in Two Cathedrals Bartlet received a 1590 (ten less than a perfect 1600) on his SATs. After retaking the test, he once again received a 1590."I got 800/790. For the life of me, I can't imagine what I got wrong. Then I took them again, and got 800/790. I mean, is it possible there was some sort of number-two pencil anomaly that could've...?" from Holy Night After high school, Bartlet was accepted to Harvard University, Yale University, Williams College, and the University of Notre Dame. He decided on Notre Dame."You were accepted at Harvard, Yale, and Williams." from The Portland Trip According to Abbey, Bartlet speaks four languages; none of them, however, is French. The Indians in the Lobby University of Notre Dame Bartlet did his undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame.Bartlet is seen wearing a Notre Dame sweatshirt in Five Votes Down Originally, Bartlet studied to become a Catholic priest, but he met his future wife, Abigail, and changed his studies.From a conversation with C.J. Cregg in The Portland Trip Bartlet might have attempted to play baseball for Notre Dame, but would be noted by Toby Ziegler and Charlie Young years later as being a bad pitcher.From a conversation in Memorial Day, paraphrasing that the Notre Dame Athletic department would agree to make Bartlet wear a special pitching vest, instead of attempting pitching by himself. Bartlet graduated summa cum laude from Notre Dame with a degree in American Studies. He minored in theology."For the record, the President graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a major in American Studies and a minor in theology." from The U.S. Poet Laureate London School of Economics After Notre Dame, Bartlet was accepted into the prestigious London School of Economics. This was one of his major goals in life.According to Stanley Keyworth in Night Five When he was 26 years old, he wrote a paper supporting the deregulation of Far East trade barriers. This created an uproar in his school and he was "nearly thrown out.""When I was 26, I wrote a paper supporting the deregulation of Far East trade barriers. Nearly got thrown out of the London School of Economics. I was young and stupid, and trying to make some noise." from The Short List Regardless of this paper, Bartlet would go on to receive a masters degree and eventually a doctorate from the school."He received a Masters and a Doctorate at the London School of Economics" from The U.S. Poet Laureate Economics Career According to Leo McGarry, Bartlet's parents were proud of him entering economics."Your parents were very proud." from Bad Moon Rising He became a tenured economics professor"I am an economics professor" from The Crackpots and These Women at Dartmouth University, which was another major goal in his life.According to Stanley Keyworth in Night Five While at Dartmouth, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters."...a Doctorate at the London School of Economics and an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Dartmouth College where he was a tenured professor." from The U.S. Poet Laureate As a professor and researcher, Bartlet became world famous, eventually winning the Nobel Prize in Economics."Jed Bartlet, Nobel Laureate in Economics..." from Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc He also wrote the book Theory and Design of Macroeconomics in Developing Nations.According to Josh Lyman in The U.S. Poet Laureate : It is likely he won the Nobel Prize while he was a politician, as he references his daughter Ellie being in third grade at the time of his award (presumably the late 1970s), and he entered politics presumably in the early 1970s. Early Political Career By 1971, Josiah Bartlet had been elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives."28 years ago, I come home from a very bad day at the State House." from Pilot From the New Hampshire State House, Bartlet started his political career, and learned the basics of politics."What about state legislature? It's the place to learn. The President started there..." from Abu El Banat Bartlet ran against Republican Elliot Roush for United States House of Representatives and won."I don't know who Elliot Roush is..." "I beat him in my first Congressional campaign." from The Midterms Bartlet would go on to serve three terms in the House."Jed Bartlet, Nobel Laureate in Economics, three-term congressman..." from Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc Governor of New Hampshire Bartlet served two terms as the Governor of New Hampshire."...three-term congressman, two-term Governor" from Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc He served his first term as Governor from 1991 to 1995 and his second term from 1995 to 1999."I remember a time in the Governor's mansion. It was about ten years ago..." from In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part I As Governor, Bartlet was very popular with the people of New Hampshire. "I was saying, what I don't understand is you guys were such fans of the President, you loved him when he was governor." from Hartsfield's Landing and he was commander-in-chief of the New Hampshire National Guard, his first military experience."You're talking to a former governor. I was commander-in-chief of the New Hampshire National Guard." from Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc Governor Bartlet was for strict state seatbelt laws, but failed to act on it, because it would waste time in the state legislature."And I was for it then. Never did anything about it because nobody wanted it." from The Women of Qumar Bartlet also signed into state law the Historic Barn and Bridges Preservation Act, an act that he later regretted."What plaid flannel-wearing, cheese eating, yahoo of a milkman governor signed that idiot bill into state law? It was me, wasn't it?" from Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail As Governor, Bartlet had to deal with several state lawsuits."Have I ever been party to a lawsuit? I was governor of New Hampshire. Anybody who..." from Bad Moon Rising One of his primary concerns as governor was tourism. During his terms, he approved the use of the slogan "New Hampshire, It's what's new" and increases in snowbile and "fall foliage" tourism.From a scene in Bartlet For America He appointed Robert Nolan to the New Hampshire State Medical Board, possibly because he was a colleague of Bartlet's wife, Abbey."Yeah, they worked together for 20 years, and I was the governor who appointed him to the Board." from Dead Irish Writers Presidency : See the Bartlet Administration for more information. 1998 election : See United States presidential election, 1998 and Bartlet for America for more information. It was during the end of his governorship that Bartlet's friend, Leo McGarry, suggested a run for the Presidency."I was thinking about the White House. I wasn't thinking about me." from Bartlet For America Governor Bartlet used his popularity to run for President, with help from Leo McGarry and Josh Lyman. He began as a "dark horse" candidate, and surprisingly gained momentum, eventually winning several important primaries.From scenes in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part II One of the most crucial victories was placing second in the South Carolina primary, forcing Wiley to drop out of the race and allowing him to pick up some steam and some money. Winning the North and Pacific Northwest on Super Tuesday, meant placing first in Illinois the following week won him the needed delegates for the nomination. Following the concession by Senator John Hoynes, the one-time front runner, Bartlet offered him the position of running mate. He didn't know anything about the presidency, and he set up a "Bartlet college" in his mansion's dining room to learn about foreign and military affairs every morning."When I was running as a governor, I didn't know anything. I made them start Bartlet college in my dining room. Two hours every morning on foreign affairs and the military." from Posse Comitatus Governor Bartlet won the 1998 election with 303 electoral votes, and a 48 percent plurality of votes."You got 303 electoral votes; I think you're stuck with them." from Memorial Day"I don't think that the plurality of voters who pulled the lever for you actually care, sir." from Dead Irish Writers As President-Elect, Bartlet was mad that the outgoing President seemed to be sticking him with a military conflict in the Philippines."The President and Admiral Fitzwallace are going to saddle me with a war in the Philippines." from Memorial Day First Term : See Josiah Bartlet's first term as President for more information. Second Term : See Josiah Bartlet's second term as President for more information. Religion Bartlet was born and raised as a Catholic. During his prep school days, Bartlet attended a private charter school. Resume Education History * B.A. in American Studies (minor in Theology) - University of Notre Dame (graduated summa cum laude) * Masters Degree - London School of Economics * Ph.D. - London School of Economics * Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters - Dartmouth University Work History * Professor of Economics at Dartmouth University Political History * During his professorship: Member of the New Hampshire State Board of Education. * around 1971 : Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives * 1985-1991 : US Representative from New Hampshire * 1991-1999 : Governor of New Hampshire * 1999-2007 : President of the United States Background Information "Jed" Bartlet was played by Martin Sheen. Although the show had an ensemble cast, the main character in the series became President Bartlet. Bartlet represents, in many ways, an "ideal liberal president," endowed with a fierce intellect, great (though not infallible) personal integrity and toughness, but tempered with essential compassion for the less fortunate and a sense of humor. Bartlet was not originally intended to be a key member of the cast. He was only meant to make occasional appearances. Alan Alda (who would play Senator Arnold Vinick), George C. Scott and Sidney Poitier were also considered for the role of President Bartlet. Notes Bartlet, Josiah Bartlet, Josiah Bartlet, Josiah Bartlet, Josiah Bartlet, Josiah Bartlet, Josiah